Excerpts from Jeffrey Toobin's book, "Too Close to Call"

Jeffrey Toobin
11.2001

Jeffrey Toobin's new book describes Fred Bartlit, Phil Beck and Irv Terrell as "...a team of visiting all-stars..." brought in by the Bush Campaign to prepare the contest litigation.

Toobin concludes that Phil Beck's cross examinations during the contest trial "...made the entire Democratic effort look foolish...."  Toobin relates how one of the witnesses Phil crossed "burst into tears..." after he left the stand.  

"As Hengartner absorbed his punishment on the witness stand, Barry Richard whispered to Boies, his friendly rival, 'I hate it when this happens.'  And Boies murmured back, 'Do you think anyone would notice if I left now?'"

Toobin also notes that, after Fred Bartlit put on Palm Beach election judge Charles Burton as a key Bush witness, trial Judge Sauls praised witness Burton as "...a great American, as a matter of fact."

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